I'm looking for some quick options on iPAD compatiable apps for collection of GPS points and images in a single app. Something like Open Data Kit for Android if you're familiar with it (http://opendatakit.org/about/).

I'm helping with a GIS class here at Stanford that will be doing a GIS data collection lecture and we want the studetns to be able to go outside for 20 min, collect a few waypoints, with a breif description, take some pics, coem back into class and download them as a KML (or GPX), then add to Googel Earth or Fusion Tables for display and collaboration.

Any leads on tools for this? I know Avenzas PDF Maps does this but I'd like something that also adds a photo geotagging fucntion, or is more geared towards data colelction than simple waypoint creation.

Ted Florence

Posted 11 October 2012 - 02:47 PM

Ted Florence

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Hey Dave.I see that you already have our PDF Maps app in your sights for this project but did you know that it does allow photos to be taken and attached to waypoints right now. However, as you have eluded to, it does not gettag the photos in teh current version BUT, the good news is that the next version which is only a few weeks away, will have a much more functional and improved photo function that will save photos to waypoints, the camera roll and geotag them. Look for that to come out by early November.CheersTed

Hi all,

I'm looking for some quick options on iPAD compatiable apps for collection of GPS points and images in a single app. Something like Open Data Kit for Android if you're familiar with it (http://opendatakit.org/about/).

I'm helping with a GIS class here at Stanford that will be doing a GIS data collection lecture and we want the studetns to be able to go outside for 20 min, collect a few waypoints, with a breif description, take some pics, coem back into class and download them as a KML (or GPX), then add to Googel Earth or Fusion Tables for display and collaboration.

Any leads on tools for this? I know Avenzas PDF Maps does this but I'd like something that also adds a photo geotagging fucntion, or is more geared towards data colelction than simple waypoint creation.

Posted 11 October 2012 - 03:22 PM

Thaks for the info Ted. So what does PDF Maps do now witht he Photo it takes in app? Does it export as part of the waypoint into the KML file? That might be good enough for now.

I need to add the app to the iPad I have and test it, but my schedule is crazy right now.

David

Hey Dave.I see that you already have our PDF Maps app in your sights for this project but did you know that it does allow photos to be taken and attached to waypoints right now. However, as you have eluded to, it does not gettag the photos in teh current version BUT, the good news is that the next version which is only a few weeks away, will have a much more functional and improved photo function that will save photos to waypoints, the camera roll and geotag them. Look for that to come out by early November.CheersTed

Hi all,

I'm looking for some quick options on iPAD compatiable apps for collection of GPS points and images in a single app. Something like Open Data Kit for Android if you're familiar with it (http://opendatakit.org/about/).

I'm helping with a GIS class here at Stanford that will be doing a GIS data collection lecture and we want the studetns to be able to go outside for 20 min, collect a few waypoints, with a breif description, take some pics, coem back into class and download them as a KML (or GPX), then add to Googel Earth or Fusion Tables for display and collaboration.

Any leads on tools for this? I know Avenzas PDF Maps does this but I'd like something that also adds a photo geotagging fucntion, or is more geared towards data colelction than simple waypoint creation.

Ted Florence

Posted 11 October 2012 - 03:46 PM

Yes exactly. When the KMZ is exported the photo or photos are exported with it as part of the package.RegardsTed

Thaks for the info Ted. So what does PDF Maps do now witht he Photo it takes in app? Does it export as part of the waypoint into the KML file? That might be good enough for now.

I need to add the app to the iPad I have and test it, but my schedule is crazy right now.

David

Hey Dave.I see that you already have our PDF Maps app in your sights for this project but did you know that it does allow photos to be taken and attached to waypoints right now. However, as you have eluded to, it does not gettag the photos in teh current version BUT, the good news is that the next version which is only a few weeks away, will have a much more functional and improved photo function that will save photos to waypoints, the camera roll and geotag them. Look for that to come out by early November.CheersTed

Hi all,

I'm looking for some quick options on iPAD compatiable apps for collection of GPS points and images in a single app. Something like Open Data Kit for Android if you're familiar with it (http://opendatakit.org/about/).

I'm helping with a GIS class here at Stanford that will be doing a GIS data collection lecture and we want the studetns to be able to go outside for 20 min, collect a few waypoints, with a breif description, take some pics, coem back into class and download them as a KML (or GPX), then add to Googel Earth or Fusion Tables for display and collaboration.

Any leads on tools for this? I know Avenzas PDF Maps does this but I'd like something that also adds a photo geotagging fucntion, or is more geared towards data colelction than simple waypoint creation.

I finally found some time to test PDF Maps on an iPad. It worked great. I was under the impression that with PDF Maps I would have to take the pic outside of the app then add it to the waypoint manually rather than take a shot in the waypoint editor.

I think this will work great for our initial data collection class project. The only missing features from our perspective are the ability to record and export tracks along with waypoints and to be able to set up a waypoint template to have attributes with predefined selections to fill in rather than allowing the user to enter anything they want. But I think those are more GPS/data collection app features which I know PDF Maps wasn't really designed for.

Ted Florence

Posted 12 October 2012 - 08:45 AM

Ted Florence

Master Contributor

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195 posts

Gender:Male

Location:Toronto

Interests:Making great mapping software.

Canada

Thank you very much David and for your kind words about our app.Indeed, as you have noted, at this point the recording of tracks is not support, however, the good news is that the implementation of a tracking recording feature is already under development and should be in an upcoming release soon.The other good news, and even better, is that you can actually already set up a waypoint template in the current 1.5 release, and the next release will have even a more supercharged data collection feature. The former can be done now by creating a KML file containing the attributes schema that you wish to use and then import that to a map. The schema will be retained and usable for other data being collected.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ted

Hey Ted,

I finally found some time to test PDF Maps on an iPad. It worked great. I was under the impression that with PDF Maps I would have to take the pic outside of the app then add it to the waypoint manually rather than take a shot in the waypoint editor.

I think this will work great for our initial data collection class project. The only missing features from our perspective are the ability to record and export tracks along with waypoints and to be able to set up a waypoint template to have attributes with predefined selections to fill in rather than allowing the user to enter anything they want. But I think those are more GPS/data collection app features which I know PDF Maps wasn't really designed for.

Posted 17 October 2012 - 12:15 AM

Just wanted to add some findings I've had using the PDF Maps app this week. Two minor issue shave popped up in use, these may or may not be bugs in the app itself or something to do with the device.

1) when collecting way points in the app I've noticed that once you collect a first point, the map won't update your location unless you click out with the home button and then back in again by reopening the app. In order to collect a series of points near each other (within a few dozen yards) you have to repeatedly click in and out of the app.

2) the exported KMZ does not always display the waypoint images in Google Earth. At home, on my iMac with GE Basic the KMZ waypoints have images in the popups and the field names show up correctly. at work, on PCs using GE Pro, the images do not show up in the popup unless I close GE and save them to My Places on exit. Then reopening GE the KMZ now shoes images in the popup, but... the field names are exposing the code that comes with the data, not just the name (hard to explain with out having it in front of me - it looks like html instead of just the field name).

Not sure what's going on here but thought it was worth mentioning. I'll add more info as I figure it out.

Posted 17 October 2012 - 11:25 AM

1. I am not sure what you were doing or if your device was having an issue or not, but the behaviour you were seeing is not correct and nor could we reproduce it here. There is no need whatsoever to leave the app or close it and reopen it to collect more than one point. The little pin icon in the lower left corner will plot a point at your current location each time you click it. If you can, can you tell me more about what exact steps you were taking?Avenze PDF Maps is becoming more and more used as a data collection system and what you have described is neither normal behaviour nor something we have heard before.

2. We tested with Google Earth and Google Earth Pro on a windows machine and could not reproduce your issue with the photos showing up. We found that it performed as expected and that any points exported from the app with attached photos did indeed have the photos attached and immediately accessible when opened in both versions of GE.We do however acknowledge some inconsistent behaviour in how attributes are presented in GE and we have addressed this already in a release we are uploading soon. Just to explain though, we follow the KML spec 100% and despite that what we have found is the while everything imports to MAPublisher perfectly, booth Google and ESRI have problems sometimes with KML files we create even though they are exactly to spec, which would indicate that Google is not even following its own spec.

RegardsTed

Just wanted to add some findings I've had using the PDF Maps app this week. Two minor issue shave popped up in use, these may or may not be bugs in the app itself or something to do with the device.

1) when collecting way points in the app I've noticed that once you collect a first point, the map won't update your location unless you click out with the home button and then back in again by reopening the app. In order to collect a series of points near each other (within a few dozen yards) you have to repeatedly click in and out of the app.

2) the exported KMZ does not always display the waypoint images in Google Earth. At home, on my iMac with GE Basic the KMZ waypoints have images in the popups and the field names show up correctly. at work, on PCs using GE Pro, the images do not show up in the popup unless I close GE and save them to My Places on exit. Then reopening GE the KMZ now shoes images in the popup, but... the field names are exposing the code that comes with the data, not just the name (hard to explain with out having it in front of me - it looks like html instead of just the field name).

Not sure what's going on here but thought it was worth mentioning. I'll add more info as I figure it out.

1) I just went back outside to test it again and it's still not updating the position dynamically. Step by step this is what's happening:

Turn on iPad and select PDF Maps app (v1.5); Select map (Stanford University Parking Map from Map Store); tap GPS button to center map on current location (this works fine - meaning the GPS is working in the device); tap the Pin button to add a placemark; move away from current position 10 - 20 yards (tested up to 80 yards or more), the map remains centered on my initial position, tapping the GPS button does not recenter on new position, I don’t see the map scrolling or any change in the coordinates; Hit the home button to close PDF Maps; reopen PDF Maps; The current map opens automatically and my position updates to show current location. We have PDF Maps on three loaner iPads here and each shows the same behavoir.

These are school iPads provided by the libraries. They de install anything on the app before loaning them back out again but there is no app management software on there that I am aware of. Its just a regular iPad. I'm in between some low buildings but have moved into open areas where there should be enough room for the GPS to function properly, but perhaps the iPads GPS is not sensitive enough to track my movement live in between the buildings? I don't think that's it though, it’s not that obstructed here, a regular old chepo GPS would do just fine.

2) this is probably not anything to do with PDF Maps but GE instead. We are on a networked system here with managed machines and that may have something to do with how certain software like GE functions on our PCs. However, I've also loaded the PDF Maps produced KMZ into the Google Earth for iPad app and the same thing happens there, no image in the popup.

I know this isn't the AVENZA help forum (and you MUST have more important things to do!), so thank you very much for writing in here. I'll try to figure out what's going on and will make sure to post back here when I do. I'm sure it's a settings or environment issue, not a bug, if you haven't heard of this beahavoir before.

Jason Anderson

Posted 17 October 2012 - 04:23 PM

When you are entering Placemarks within the app do you click the Tools button and then select 'Add Placemarks', or do you just click on the Placemark button beside the GPS button?

I was able to reproduce your scenario by using the Add Placemarks Tool. This tool is intended for plotting points anywhere on the map and the Placemark button beside the GPS button is intended for plotting Placemarks at your current location only.If you are just trying to plot Placemarks periodically at your current location you should just click the Placemark button outside of the Tools menu. If your GPS is not updating in this situation and you cannot plot more placemarks then there may be another issue.

Regarding your second issue, as Ted mentioned we tried the same functionality in Google Earth Pro and have correct results. Could you please send the KMZ file you mention to support@avenza.com so we can investigate the issue further.

We are currently in the development process for PDF Maps version 1.6 and have changed the way that adding placemarks functions to make it more clear for users, so we are happy to hear the input.

Thanks,

Jason AndersonQA ManagerAvenza Systems

Thanks Ted,

1) I just went back outside to test it again and it's still not updating the position dynamically. Step by step this is what's happening:

Turn on iPad and select PDF Maps app (v1.5); Select map (Stanford University Parking Map from Map Store); tap GPS button to center map on current location (this works fine - meaning the GPS is working in the device); tap the Pin button to add a placemark; move away from current position 10 - 20 yards (tested up to 80 yards or more), the map remains centered on my initial position, tapping the GPS button does not recenter on new position, I don’t see the map scrolling or any change in the coordinates; Hit the home button to close PDF Maps; reopen PDF Maps; The current map opens automatically and my position updates to show current location. We have PDF Maps on three loaner iPads here and each shows the same behavoir.

These are school iPads provided by the libraries. They de install anything on the app before loaning them back out again but there is no app management software on there that I am aware of. Its just a regular iPad. I'm in between some low buildings but have moved into open areas where there should be enough room for the GPS to function properly, but perhaps the iPads GPS is not sensitive enough to track my movement live in between the buildings? I don't think that's it though, it’s not that obstructed here, a regular old chepo GPS would do just fine.

2) this is probably not anything to do with PDF Maps but GE instead. We are on a networked system here with managed machines and that may have something to do with how certain software like GE functions on our PCs. However, I've also loaded the PDF Maps produced KMZ into the Google Earth for iPad app and the same thing happens there, no image in the popup.

I know this isn't the AVENZA help forum (and you MUST have more important things to do!), so thank you very much for writing in here. I'll try to figure out what's going on and will make sure to post back here when I do. I'm sure it's a settings or environment issue, not a bug, if you haven't heard of this beahavoir before.

Posted 17 October 2012 - 05:00 PM

Thanks Jason. I am using the Placemark button next to the GPS button so it should b eplotted at my current location not center of screen. I've install an app that will help me test my GPS reception and I'm going to see if where I've been doing my PDF Maps tests is getting poor signal strength for some reason. <-- this BTW, would be a great feture to add to PDF Maps, the ability to see what the GPS saltellite situation is (# of locks, overall siganl strength etc).

Posted 18 October 2012 - 11:13 AM

Update: the KML/KMZ issue is resolved, a KMZ opened in GE across a network will not show the attached images or will show images with corrupted field names. When the KMZ is copied to a local drive it works just fine.

The issue of not dynamically updating my location in the app I belive is due to poor GPS signal. I'm not sure why this is the case given the terrain but I get "poor signal" on the GPS Status app in the open quad where we were testing the it. The workaround is good enough for now and we'll try to get studetns to move into more open areas for the lab.

Thanks to Ted, Jason and Avenza for helping me figure this out! Love the app!

Ted Florence

Posted 18 October 2012 - 01:08 PM

Ted Florence

Master Contributor

Validated Member

195 posts

Gender:Male

Location:Toronto

Interests:Making great mapping software.

Canada

Yes indeed, Dave.And just to close the loop for all those Cartotalkers who may be following this, the KML issue does appear to be a bug in Google Earth such that KML/Z files are not being read properly across a network.Our investigation here theorized that it was a version issue as those of us using GE 6.1 could not replicate your problems and when one of use upgraded to GE 6.2 the problem surfaced. So at first we were going to report that GE 6.2 was the problem.Then we found that when the file was on a local drive it did work in both GE 6.1 and 6.2. So that led us to the network theory as we found that the guy here on GE 6.2 had saved the KML on a network location and someone else here with GE 6.2 was not getting the error but had the file on a local drive.So it does appear that GE is not reading the KML properly or entirely when importing from a network location.And the reason it did work for you the second time, ie after importing from a network location and then closing GE and reopening it is because GE was caching the file locally in between.So thanks for bringing this to our attention but alas there is nothing we can do except report the bug to Google and hope for a fix in the next GE release.CheersTed

Update: the KML/KMZ issue is resolved, a KMZ opened in GE across a network will not show the attached images or will show images with corrupted field names. When the KMZ is copied to a local drive it works just fine.

The issue of not dynamically updating my location in the app I belive is due to poor GPS signal. I'm not sure why this is the case given the terrain but I get "poor signal" on the GPS Status app in the open quad where we were testing the it. The workaround is good enough for now and we'll try to get studetns to move into more open areas for the lab.

Thanks to Ted, Jason and Avenza for helping me figure this out! Love the app!

Posted 19 October 2012 - 01:03 PM

Final update: finally figured out that our iPads are WiFi only models, had been told they were GPS/data models. That's why the app is not dynamically updating positions, it only has a WiFi fix, which works across campus but not well enough to show movement I guess. Can't beleive it took me that long to figure that out.